Cong seeks CBI probe in Kerala PSC exams

The Congress have been consistently demanding that only a CBI probe can bring out the lapses in the examinations conducted by the PSC, the role of the PSC chairman and others needs to be probed.

Thiruvananthapuram: With the Kerala Public Service Commission admitting to irregularities in its examinations, the Congress on Tuesday demanded a CBI probe in to the matter.

The Kerala PSC conducts recruitment examinations for all the government jobs in the state.

Addressing the media here, leader of the opposition and senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said his party's stand on the matter was vindicated with the Kerala PSC admitting to wrongdoing in the examinations held recently.

"Since last month, we have been consistently saying that only a CBI probe can bring out the lapses in the examinations conducted by the PSC. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was very critical of the media and the Opposition for raising the matter, but now that the PSC itself has admitted to the lapses, the role of the PSC chairman and others needs to be probed, and a CBI probe is the need of the hour," said Chennithala.

The Kerala PSC too in a press release on Monday said that it suspected three candidates -- Shivarenjith, Pranav and Naseem -- having used unethical means to write the examination, and sought a police probe in the matter.

The three are Student Federation of India (SFI) leaders and are alleged to have manipulated the PSC examination for recruitment of constables to get top ranks.

The wrongdoing came to light last month after a University student was stabbed in a campus brawl and Shivarenjith and Naseem were accused in the case.

"Since Vijayan has been defending the activities of the SFI, his police probing the case will not help. The CBI has to be entrusted with the job for the truth to come out," added Chennithala.

The preliminary probe done by the internal department of the PSC has detected lapses, but for further investigations they want the case to be investigated by the cyber team of the police.

The PSC Rank Holders Association President Sarath said: "A government job is a dream for any Keralite and the PSC is the agency which conducts these examinations. We are all shocked to hear the manipulations. An independent agency must probe the lapses in the exams as this cannot be done by one or two people, there is certainly a group behind this."